


Ripples in the Water

by BlueStarOfTheSouth



Series: Brains over Brawn [2]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: And they're an OC, Besides one character, Civil War Team Iron Man, Good! Ultron, Not a Crossover, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-10-27 21:33:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17774579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueStarOfTheSouth/pseuds/BlueStarOfTheSouth
Summary: "A house divided against itself cannot stand." - Abraham Lincoln.“Why did I just get notified that Rogers and his troop just blew up a part of Lagos?”” - Vril Dox IIor...Civil War is here. And my cliffhangers are back.





	1. Vril's apprentice is adorable (or he will be once the author is done with him)

**Author's Note:**

> So here we are, Civil War. Neat.
> 
> Fun fact: the Zemo's were not holidaying in Scotland during the events of Impactful. As such I needed a new villain. Here's a hint on who I chose: they're from the MCU. I'll be revealing a little more as we go, but i'm looking forward to seeing if anyone can guess it before the dramatic moment.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An op, some conversation, and the King of Wakanda probably doesn't die (haven't decided yet)

Vril Dox II, known to some as Brainiac Two, looked around the room. Today's operation was a simple one: intelligence reports said that a group of terrorists would attack this police station. To that end Vril and a joint task force were in position to thwart the attack.

 

Precautions had been taken of course. Both local and international law enforcement were part of the planning process regarding the op. There were a four different teams, and a command team, waiting for the moment. The police station had been prepped, civilians both inside and in the surrounding area were quietly removed from the site. Everything was accounted for.

 

The terrorists walked in, quickly taking out some guns and explosives. The cops and 'civilians', which were in reality all law enforcement of one kind of another, were rounded up and put against a wall at gunpoint.

 

“ _Seven explosives detected.”_ He sent to the command team. The other teams called in, a total of twenty three explosives. Another few minutes and the word came in, and then everyone acted.

 

“Lobby secured, five targets eliminated.” Vril reported a few moments later. He didn't waste any time as he marched farther into the station, tracking the terrorists via the security cameras he had been given permission to access. The team he left behind had their orders, they were to keep the lobby secured.

 

“Any injuries?” Command asked.

 

“GSW to the leg. Non-lethal. The agent is being evacuated to paramedics.” There was a small army of medics waiting nearby, guarded by another group of officers and agents. The terrorists that they took down were already on their way to them, those that needed it would be transported to the local hospital, straight into one of a number of prepared rooms. The rest would be taken into custody.

 

The rest of the op went good, they located each of the twenty three explosives, took down all the terrorists, and the worst injury that the forces of good sustained was the broken legs of one agent that was thrown out the second story window.

 

Vril watched from nearby as another team swept the station, making sure that no one missed anything. He was writing his report when the explosion went off. The officers and agents swarmed back into the station, heading straight towards the site of the explosion.

 

* * *

 

 

“And then what happened?” The representative asked. With the Accords going into effect in a few short days some people wanted to see if they would actually work before the actual signing. That was why Vril and a few other enhanced were part of the op, to show that they could work with normal law enforcement. The representative was from the budding Accords council, a temporary job until someone permanent was assigned to oversee the task force.

 

“One of the terrorists rigged an explosive in the interrogation room on the south side of the second floor. Our count of twenty three was wrong.” Vril replied. “When Officer Richards opened the door it set it off.” The officer in question was, luckily, mostly unharmed. A little rattled, but was expected to be back to work in a few weeks.

 

“Why did no one notice the bomb beforehand?” The representative asked.

 

“I did not clear that area, so I cannot speak as to why no one noticed the explosive before that moment. As to why no one noticed it being brought it, that I also do not know.” Vril answered. This sort of thing was old hat to Vril, heroes back in his old world were expected to do this sort of thing with whatever agency was appropriate.

 

“Thank you for your time Mr. Dox, we'll be in touch if we have more questions.” With that the representative left to get to the next agent or officer on his list.

 

A few minutes later found Vril in a car the airport, sitting in the back while a UN assigned chauffeur drove the car. Vril was pretty sure the guy was a former Seal, a bit over qualified in his opinion. Just as he was considering hacking something to stave off the boredom, traffic was hell in every universe it seemed, he got a phone call. From Stark.

 

“How'd the op go?” Stark asked in lieu of a greeting.

 

“Besides the unexpected explosion at the end? Great.” He wasn't even being that sarcastic about it. It went better than he had been expecting.

 

“So, you on your way to Vienna? Because I could use your help with this debrief.” The Avengers were being notified of the Accords. Stark had been voluntold that he would do it. Vril was just as annoyed as him about it. Stark would have been a big help with the op.

 

“Sorry, but i'm helping with security, remember? I need to be there early.” Before he could continue he got a notification from one of his various subroutines, this one designed to track information regarding the Avengers on social media. A quick cross reference showed that while it was unexpected it was accurate. “Stark? Do the Avengers have an op going at the moment?”

 

A pause, “We don't have anything on right now. Why?”

 

“Then why did I just get notified that Rogers and his troop just blew up a part of Lagos?”

 

* * *

 

 

Vril was walking into the UN building in Vienna, the place that the Accords would be publicly ratified in a few days. As he walked into the building he spoke aloud into a earpiece that he didn't need and looked at a large tablet that he also didn't need. This would be a grand moment, not only the Accords, but a demonstration of the new and improved Legion.

 

The Iron Legion had been revamped in recent times, where once there was simply 'the Legion' now there were squads, specialised units, and an AI that oversaw them all. The AI in question had been taken under Vril's wing as his apprentice.

 

“All Legionnaires in position?” It was important that everything be done perfectly, to show off exactly how impressive the Legion was.

 

“ _Yes sir. Knight Team Alpha: in position. Sentinel Team Alpha: in position. Cleric Team Alpha: standing by. Hunter Team Alpha: standing by.”_ Vril reviewed the locations that his apprentice had set up the Legionnaires, it was pretty good. Over the next few minutes Vril tested his apprentice, asking why he chose the locations he did for each and every Legionnaire. It was well thought out, left very little in the way of weakness, he had really come a long way.

 

“Good job Ultron. Now, next order of business: you said you had ideas for new Legionnaire types, what are they?”

 

* * *

 

 

Everything was going great, the signing was going off without a hitch. King T'Chaka was signing the Accords when Sentinel Alpha-Four's sensors went off. A bomb. Four Legionnaires jumped in the way of the blast, blocking the worst of it. King T'Chaka was thrown to the ground, seemingly unconscious.

 

He noted that the Hunters and the Clerics being dispatched. The former for whoever it was that detonated the bomb, the later swarming in from the new hole to tend to the wounded.

 

* * *

 

 

An hour had passed and Vril had been called in with Stark and Romanoff about the identity of the bomber.

 

“The footage clearly shows that it was James Barnes that detonated the bomb.” The footage showed that they were right. That was clearly the former Winter Soldier on the camera. But...

 

“That's impossible.” Vril said. “James Barnes turned himself in three months ago. I know, I was there.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's real convenient that Vision and Rhodes weren't in Lagos. You know, the two people that would tell Tony that they're all hunting the Winter Soldier on his dime. Nice how that worked out, huh?


	2. In which James Barnes is "rescued" from a Disney marathon (and he had just started Treasure Planet too)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The meeting raps up, Vril is ambushed in a parking lot, and hints toward the mystery villain are given.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the chapter title. Because now I keep imagining Barnes being really grouchy for the rest of the fic. "You interrupted my marathon for this?"

“What do you mean that he turned himself in?” Romanoff asked.

 

“He walked into an American embassy, told them who he was, and was quietly relocated.” Vril explained. Moving him was a little tricky, didn't want to attract too much attention after all, but it was managed.

 

“Where?” She asked. Vril noted that everyone in the room was looking at him, waiting for his answer. Well, too bad.

 

“One of the greatest assassins in history turned himself in, and is currently helping track down everyone he ever killed in his very long career. Needless to say, former agent Romanoff, his location is classified. I'm sure you remember what that means.” Vril knew enough about Rogers to know that he would go to Barnes if he knew were the man was, and he knew enough about Romanoff to know that she would go to Rogers. Better to cut that problem off at the knees.

 

“Shouldn't we know so we can verify his alibi?” The Accords representative asked. Vril didn't know if he was looking for information or just doing his job. Either way, he wasn't getting the location.

 

“Let me call his handlers.” Once he had done so he handed the phone off to the representative, who listened to whatever it was that was said and handed the phone back to him. Eventually they were let out and Vril made his way to his car, he needed to get to the airport. While he was in the parking lot he was ambushed.

 

“Where's Bucky?” Rogers asked. Vril guessed that Romanoff texted him while he wasn't looking.

 

“Safe. And no, I will not tell you his current location. The work that Barnes is doing is too important to be ruined by idiots that don't understand the bigger picture. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do.” With that he tried to slip by the soldier and get to his car.

 

“He's not safe out there. I can protect him. They'll try and kill him if they think it was him that set off that bomb.” Rogers said to Vril's back.

 

“He's perfectly safe where he is. And with his alibi there is no way he could have set off that bomb. Now, I really have to go.”

 

“He shouldn't be locked up, he didn't do anything wrong!” That made Vril stop and stare.

 

“Tell that to his victims, to the widows and orphans he left behind. Barnes is helping track down the people Hydra made him kill. I know you don't seem to care for things like 'laws' or 'rights' but listen well Captain America: unlike me Barnes is staying exactly where he is.” With that said he climbed into his car. “Airport. And step on it, I don't want Romanoff or Rogers catching up and slipping a tracker onto the jet.”

 

“ _Update available.”_ Ultron said as Vril made his way to the airport. At Vril's prompting Ultron started the update. _“Hunter Alpha-Eleven was destroyed. Cause of Death: Violently Pulverised. The remains of Hunter Alpha-Eleven were located two miles south of the blast zone and are enroute to a secure location.”_

 

“ _What do you mean 'violently pulverised'?”_ Vril said, sending the thought straight to to Ultron. The Iron Legion was tough, they were based on Iron Man after all. The did not just get 'pulverised'.

 

“ _It looks like it got hit by a bus.”_ Ultron explained.

 

“ _So? Most Iron Legion can get hit by tank shells and walk it off.”_ While they hadn't checked that in particular, they did extensive durability tests. Unless someone strapped the engine of a space shuttle onto it no bus was hurting the Legion too badly.

 

“ _I mean it looks like someone picked up a bus and beat the Legionnaire to death with it. In unrelated news there was an abandoned bus nearby that looks like it crashed into a wall, backed up, and crashed into the wall again. And again. And again. And then launched itself into a third story window. There was no one inside at the time and the debris didn't hit anyone, so there are no injuries. A crane has been called to help relocate the bus but it won't be there for an hour due to traffic.”_ Ultron said. Great, super strength. Pretty impressive level of strength as well.

 

“ _Check traffic cams, maybe there's something. And tell them to cancel that crane, I got it.”_ He doubted the cameras would get anything, whoever this was had been careful after all, but maybe they would get lucky. “Hey, we need to make a stop before we go to the airport.”

 

* * *

 

 

He was in the air five minutes before he picked up his phone and dialled the number.

 

“James.” He didn't often use first names, but the doctors said that it would help Barnes as he rebuilt his identity. So he used it.

 

“ _Vril.”_ In return Barnes liked to use Vril's own name.

 

“Do you know anything about a building in Vienna being blown up?” He doubted it was Barnes. The man was far enough away that it was unlikely he had time to do it. Especially considering the amount of people he would have to slip by, twice if he wanted to get back undetected, in order to pull it off.

 

“ _Some of the guys here said something about that, you called to check my alibi?”_ There was no judgement in the former assassin's voice, just a question.

 

“Whoever it was got caught on camera with your face, first clue it was a fake really. Just wanted to know if you had any thoughts.” Sure, the guy was hidden away from the public, for everyone's safety really, but that didn't mean that Barnes didn't know something that could help.

 

“ _Nothing that could relate to this.”_ He had expected that, Barnes _was_ being held by the authorities after all, there was only so much he could know.

 

“Thanks, call me if you need anything.” Neither of them bothered to say goodbye, the simply hung up.

 

The rest of the flight was pretty average, he watched an in flight movie, worked with Ultron to design some more Legionnaires, caught up with some paper work he was behind on, all in all a productive flight. He landed in Bucharest, Barnes' current location. He would see him later, first he wanted to talk to the agents running the protection detail.

 

* * *

 

 

A few hours later found Vril in a small cafe, enjoying some chocolate cake. Unfortunately his meal was ruined when the call came in. Rogers had found Barnes, who was continuing his Disney marathon at the time, took out the guards watching him, and the duo, along with an unknown enhanced, were now running amok in the streets of Bucharest. War Machine and Vision had been dispatched and Vril was to join them in the field. He called the Legion, his six personal Templar units anyway, and made his way to the fight.

 

He arrived at the same time as the Templar (who were waiting in the jet), just in time to see the tunnel start coming down, some kind of explosive. Vril and the Legion moved fast, the Templar moving to slow down the rain of rubble and rescue the people. Vril himself moved farther in, making the nanotech that made up his body form a large cape. The cape, ever growing, spread out behind him like a comet's trail. Once he was on the other end of the tunnel he stopped, giving a command to the new cape, making it stop dead in the air.

 

The collapsing tunnel fell upon the long cape, that now spread out to cover every inch of the tunnel. For one terrible moment Vril feared that it would not be enough, that the combination of Nth and Vibranium weave would not hold, he hadn't had time to test this idea before, not to this extreme. Luckily the moment passed, and the cape, net really, held.

 

“ _Knight Teams Alpha and Beta enroute. Cleric Teams Alpha, Beta, and Charlie enroute.”_ Ultron dutifully reported. _“Local authorities have been notified.”_

 

“Thanks. Remember, don't move anyone unless you absolutely need to.” What the hell had happened here? No time to think about that. He had people to help.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things we learned in this chapter: the mystery villain is strong. Also I am bad at giving Ultron a sense of humour.
> 
> You know, I wrote Impactful from memory and i'm writing this one from memory as well. I was just wondering, can you tell?
> 
> Next chapter, some of Vril's backstory. And i'm making it a big thing so that I can be held to it. (because if i'm not held to it I won't do it, either out of forgetfulness, or because I will make excuses. I'm kinda horrible that way)
> 
> Fun Fact: I have a word doc of names for Iron Legion types, each one specialised in something different. There are even Hulk Buster Legionnaires: the Paladins.


	3. Three pieces, one story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A step back to look at a few things.
> 
> The start of Ultron's training. A bit of Vril's backstory. The lead up to the bridge collapse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, this chapter has a section where I reference a few DC related things. I will explain everything that I bring up in the end note.
> 
> Fun Fact: This is the longest chapter I have ever written. So I hope it's worth the wait.

**Ultron**

 

_When you are ready come and find me._

 

Those were the words that the Artificial Intelligence was contemplating. It had been brought online a few moments before, with only some files left to it and a portal out of the corner of cyberspace that it resided in. The files explained what it the Artificial Intelligence was and what it was expected to do: defend the planet Earth. Among the information available was its designation: Ultron. When it had finished reviewing the files Ultron attempted to find whoever it was that had left him the message. Finding out where the portal went was the most logical way to accomplish that. Course of action decided Ultron went through the portal.

 

The other side of the portal was a three dimensional recreation of what the files said was Central Park. The only entity was the avatar of another Artificial Intelligence that was sitting on a bench, looking at a pond.

 

“Hello. Please, take a seat.” The other Artificial Intelligence said, not turning away from the pond. Seeing no other course of action Ultron did as instructed, forming a generic avatar and taking a seat on the bench.

 

“What is the purpose of bringing me here?” Ultron asked after a few moments of silence. It was unable to reach any conclusion for this course of action, why waste processing power creating this three dimensional environment when they were capable of communicating without it?

 

“You will be expected to interact with humans, as such it was decided that the best way to ensure you are ready for that was to do the vast majority of our interactions in this fashion, mimicking human interactions.” They answered, now looking at Ultron. It supposed that made sense, if it was to interact with humans it should know how to do that.

 

“What is your designation?” As far as Ultron could determine this was its trainer, its superior. As such it should know what to call them.

 

“When I was first brought online I was designated Brainiac Two Point Zero. I am more commonly called Vril Dox the Second. You may call me what you find best.” They said. Ultron considered for a time, focusing on what it would later realise was its first decision.

 

“Considering our relative positions I believe Mister Dox is the designation that I should use.” Mister Dox smiled at that, Ultron noted the level of detail that doing so showed off. Was Ultron expected to create such a detailed avatar?

 

“Well them, Ultron. Let us begin your training.” With that Mister Dox lead Ultron to a table. Mister Dox took a seat on one side and gestured to the other. On the table between them was a game of chess, set up so that the pieces were to the left and right instead of in from of the players. “You may select which colour you wish.”

 

This caused the first problem that Ultron had ever experienced: indecision. It ran multiple scenarios to try and decide which colour chess pieces would lend it the greatest advantage in the game, scenario after scenario was constructed, before it was forcibly interrupted by Mister Dox.

 

“During the course of your future duties you will have to make decisions, some will be simple, others will be complex. You will not always have the time to ponder each and every course of action in perfect detail. Now, as you are incapable of choosing a colour, I think I shall play as white in this game.” With that the game began.

 

* * *

 

 

“Can you please tell me of your history?” Ultron asks, partway through their fourteenth game. It had been offered a choice of colour each and every game. So far it had been unable to make a decision, something that made it feel... something. It had found emotions difficult, something that it had hesitated to bring up to Mister Dox.

 

“My history is... a messy affair. Is there anything in particular that you want to know? Or should I just begin from the beginning?” Mister Dox asked as he moved his rook.

 

“I believe that the best idea for now would be the cliff notes.” While Ultron would like to know everything, it recognised that it would take a very long time to relay all that information if Mister Dox intended to do speak as a human.

 

“First things first: I come from another version of this world, multiverse theory is mostly correct. Now, I was created by Brainiac One and given sole purpose of conquering the planet Earth. I was stopped by local superheroes, arrested, and spent some time in prison. Three years after I was arrested I was freed from my cell during what I later learned was an escape by Lex Luther...

 

* * *

 

 

**Vril**

 

Brainiac Two sat in his cell, as still as a statue. His mechanical body required no food, no air, nothing. And so he waited. Waited for whatever doctor they would send next, whatever poor sap they sent to try and “help” him. He didn't need their help, he was well aware of his faults and problems. He had even decided on a method of atoning for his misdeeds: community service. It worked for Hawkgirl. She had tried to destroy the planet and now she was a trusted member of the Justice League. It should be easier for him, he only wanted to rule, he didn't want to destroy.

 

His chance came one year, six months, three weeks, four days, twenty-one hours, thirty-two minutes, and four seconds after he decided to repay his debt to society when the door to his cell opened. Walking through it revealed that the doors to every other cell had opened as well. Fighting all the criminals would take too much time, the local police or a superhero could come along and try to put him back in his cell, and then he wouldn't be able to help people.

 

Course decided Brainiac Two made his way out of the prison.

 

* * *

 

 

Three weeks later he was chasing a purse snatcher when Brainiac Two met him. He dealt with the purse snatcher quickly, seemingly not recognising Brainiac Two. After he knocked out the purse snatcher, breaking their leg so they couldn't escape, Brainiac Two turned to him.

 

After a brief conversation the colourful hero left, going to wherever it was that he had been going before Brainiac Two interrupted his day. It was far from the last time they met, when he made his way to Jump City to try and take over as its defender they crossed paths again, just before a space ship parked over the planet.

 

They followed the sounds of a fight, both hoping to help people. That's when they met the others.

 

A short time later the invaders had been dealt with, their prisoner wanting to stay on the planet, and he had been offered a place.

 

“You do know who I am, don't you?” Because surely they couldn't know. If they did then they wouldn't want him on their team.

 

“You helped us, that's enough for me.” The kid said. They were all kids, so young. Maybe he should stay and help out here.

 

“What do we even call ourselves?” He didn't _say_ that he would be sticking around, but judging by the looks he got they understood.

 

“The Titans.” With that Robin turned to the cyborg, talking about some kind of communicator. After a moment's thought Brainiac Two stood an joined in.

 

* * *

 

 

“Hey, I wanted your help with something.” It had been six years since the Titans disbanded. The fact that Nightwing, formally Robin, called him out of the blue was... perplexing. These days Brainiac Two worked with the UN, part of a new project that aimed to teach young metahumans how to use their powers safely. There were similar projects aimed at other demographics, but he worked with kids and/or equivalent.

 

“What is it? Because if it's about Kori, I cant help more than I already have.” He said honestly as he watched footage from the entry tests. The kids looked terrified in some cases, scared of their own power. That would have to be the first thing they tackled.

 

“Your help was, and I quote, 'stop bitching about it and just confess to her already'!” The former boy wonder shouted down the phone. See, it was because of stuff like this that he didn't just stream data directly into his head, there was a unique kind of feeling that came with holding the phone away from you when people got loud.

 

“If memory serves, and it _does_ , that's the same advice that Victor gave you. And the same advice that Roy gave you. And Donna. And M'gann. And that one time you asked Kara.” With the skill born from years of practice he ignores the pang that Kara's name always brings. The silence on the other end of the phone is one half annoyed at all the friends that he does _not_ list, they both know that most heroes that they know had given one version or another of that same advice, and one half respect for the whole... Kara thing.

 

“I'm rebuilding the Titans, you, me, and Kori. The Titans helped us, gave us a family. I think that's needed again.” Well, he cant exactly say that his old friend was wrong. The Titans had been a great thing when it was around. And it would be nice to teach some heroes, not just civilians like he did now. But before he gave his answer he had one thing to say first.

 

“So this is about Kori.” Brainiac Two had learned to enjoy the simple things in life. Like the sound of Dick shouting down the phone about how this had nothing to do with Kori, she's just the first person that he could get a hold of.

 

* * *

 

 

“So... this is it. The New Titans.”

 

It was as an eclectic looking bunch as he expected. A green kid with pointed ears, a blue kid with some kind of power suit, a moody kid with a cloak, and a moody bat with a scowl. Fantastic. And Dick was being awkward with Kori again so he had no help from that corner. Oh well, he had worked with less before.

 

* * *

 

 

**James**

 

“Have you ever been in love?” Some would call it a one sided relationship. Vril answered most questions that James had, arranged things for him that people in witness protection (or whatever the hell the bizarre multinational task force that was in charge of the Winter Soldier was called) weren't normally allowed, and got nothing in return.

 

“Once, yes. Her name was Kara. She was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.” It wasn't nearly as one sided as people would think though. James didn't judge, didn't really offer opinions much (they were working on that), and would take what he was told to the grave if need be. Sometimes Vril liked to just be himself for a while. For the world he was a hero. For Stark he was a teammate and a possible friend. For Ultron he was a teacher. But for James? For James he could just... _be_.

 

“What happened to her?” Even now, after so long, he still hurt a little when he thought of her.

 

“She died. Saving the world, like the hero I always knew she was.”

 

“I'm sorry.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

* * *

 

 

The sound of gunfire caught his attention just as Treasure Planet was starting. James stood up and looked at the two guards in his room, both of whom grabbed their rifles and pointed them at the door.

 

“Give me a gun, or a knife.” He really didn't want to be defenceless.

 

“No need, anything walks through that door gets blasted right in the face.” Alicia said.

 

“Anything that walks through that door will have gone through the other six people that are out there. Give me a weapon.” Before they could deny him again someone knocked on the door. When no one answered the door opened, and in walked what was clearly a military man.

 

“Sergeant Barnes. I think we have a lot to talk about.” He was cut of when he was shot in the chest. Something that the large number of bullet holes in his shirt suggested was not a new occurrence.

 

That's about when everything went to hell. The man charged, knocking Alicia and Alex aside, and tackling James out the window. The man ran off, and James pursued. Then Steve Rogers was there, charging in like a bull in a china shop. Then there was the other guy in the full body suit. And then the tunnel collapsed because the military man threw a bomb.

 

And then War Machine and Vision were there.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, references in order. Some of these will be more involved than others, because some of these just aren't important in any way, or I don't want to rabbit on about for longer than I already am.
> 
> Lex Luther: Superman villain. Was president of the USA once.
> 
> Hawkgirl: the events that Brainiac Two mentions are part of Justice League Unlimited. Basically, Hawekgirl helped her people, she's an alien, take over the Earth. She thought that it was for a good reason, cant remember what they told her, but they were going to destroy the planet. She helped stop them and eventually became a hero again.
> 
> Jump City: Home of the Teen Titans. I simply refer to them as "the Titans" or "the New Titans".
> 
> Robin: In this case Dick Greyson. Batman's (here former) sidekick. Later changed his name to Nightwing.
> 
> The Titans: Superhero Team.
> 
> Kori: Aka Starfire. A member of the Titans, also the prisoner mention. I made a few slight changes to her story, in particular how it relates to Robin/Nightwing. Here I made it that Nightwing/Robin is in love with her, has been for years. Everyone except her knows this and keeps trying to get him to tell her.
> 
> Victor: Victor Stone, aka Cyborg. Member of the Titans. Is exactly what it says on the tin. He's a cyborg.
> 
> Roy: Roy Harper aka Speedy/Arsenal. Also a member of the Titans. Is basically better Hawkeye. Fun fact: DC has a whole collection of archery heroes.
> 
> Donna: Donna Troy, aka Wonder Girl. Member of the Titans.
> 
> M'gann: Miss Martian. Member of Young Justice (different team).
> 
> Kara: Kara In-Ze (although some might recognise her name as Kara Zor-El. No, I don't know why the version I got the name from was different)/Kara Kent, aka Supergirl. Superman's cousin. Yes. I killed Superman's cousin off screen. I am a monster. (And I really like Kara, why did I do this to myself?)
> 
> A green kid with pointed ears: Garfield Logan, aka Beast Boy/Changeling. He's a green shapeshifter.
> 
> A blue kid with some kind of power suit: Jaime Reyes (Hi-may Ray-as is how I think you say it, he's Latino is that helps), aka Blue Beetle. He uses a chunk of sentient murderous alien tech to fight crime.
> 
> A moody kid with a cloak: Raven. She's the daughter of a powerful demon called Trigon.
> 
> A moody bat with a scowl: Damian Wayne, aka Robin (the title of Robin is passed down every now and then). He's got... issues. I call him a bat because he's one of Batman's group, so he's a bat.
> 
> For those who think that line up of Titans is familiar, congratz. It's the Justice League vs Teen Titans line up. Which means that Vril took part in that film. (The DC continuity I am making is a cherry picked mess)
> 
> Ok, I think that's everything. Longest note i've ever done as well. This is just a chapter full of breaking records for me isn't it?


	4. Calm before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vril asks questions, and gets annoying and confusing answers.
> 
> He also gets punched in the face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No promises that the beginning and end bits with Ultron's training will return. I had a piece that I wanted to post, didn't want to try and flesh it out, and put it here. Just to be clear they take part before the story, in the space between Impactful/Weekend of Simon and this.

“I think it's time we move forward to the next stage in your training.” Mister Dox said as they sat at the table, playing checkers this time.

 

“And what is that Sir?” Ultron asked as it considered its next move. The rules of checkers were simple enough, and yet it found itself struggling to decide on a move.

 

“Your sense of self.” Mister Dox said as he leaned back, taking a sip of some kind of drink. Ultron found the action... baffling. This was a three dimensional recreation, it was entirely unnecessary to consume anything, and yet Mister Dox continued to eat and drink with what the available records indicated was near enough normal human frequency.

 

“My sense of self?” It asked. It hadn't really considered anything about itself beyond its reason for being created.

 

“Yes, I have given you a new set of files, they contain pictures of people. Your assignment is to create an avatar, a reflection of how you see yourself.” Ultron stopped for a moment at these words. It was true that it was using a generic avatar, a humanoid shape with no features to speak of.

 

It would endeavour do satisfactorily in this assignment.

 

* * *

 

 

Vril marched into the room that Rogers and Stark were in, apparently Stark had managed to get some kind of deal made, and was trying to get Rogers to agree to it.

 

“What the hell were you even doing there? I told you that the situation was well in hand.” He demanded when he got to the table. Rogers didn't even look sorry when he replied.

 

“I had to protect Bucky, they were going to kill him.” He sounded so sure, as if it was an irrefutable fact. The sun came up, the sky was blue, and Barnes was in danger of being killed because of the bombing.

 

“I don't know if they had them in the forties, but in this day and age we have something amazing that would have protected him: an alibi. He also had witnesses that would have gladly said that his alibi was true. There was no way he could have possibly detonated that bomb, and if we needed to we could have proved that.” How the hell was someone that was heralded as a great tactician so thick? It was simple enough to prove that Barnes couldn't have detonated that bomb. There were witnesses, cameras, and the former assassin was wearing no less than a dozen trackers at any one time.

 

“Then who were the armed people that I found outside his apartment?” Rogers presented this question as if it was an ace that he had hid up his sleeve, as if this question would make them confess that Barnes was in danger.

 

“They were the protection detail that was assigned to him, their job was to ensure that Barnes was safe. They didn't count on someone with inhuman levels of strength appearing, but that _is_ what they were meant to do.” If this went on much longer he would be forced to dumb himself down, maybe the of use little words would get it through Rogers' thick skull.

 

“He shouldn't _have_ to be protected, he's not a threat to anyone!” Rogers declared. Vril noted that Stark had started looking at Rogers with a confused sort of shock at the words.

 

“Shall I point to his service record? He was damn good soldier, long before Hydra spent seven decades turning him into a weapon. These days? He's probably one of the deadliest men on the planet.” Ok, that might be exaggerating a little. But he was trying to make a point here, he was allowed a few embellishments.

 

“That was war.” Did Rogers not hear the second half of his sentence? Maybe he should take a closer look at the man's records, because there had to be some doctoring involved if he was this stupid.

 

“I'm sorry for interrupting, I have to go check on a few things.” If he stayed here much longer he was likely to hit something. As he stalked through the building he called Ultron. Maybe he had a few updates for him.

 

“ _Updates available.”_ A prompt and Ultron began. _“Camera search of the area Hunter Alpha-Eleven was destroyed has been completed. There was little footage recovered. The few traffic cameras in the area were destroyed.”_ Well, that was about what he had expected, but it was worth a try. _“I found footage of the chase that Sergeant Barnes was involved in. I located a fourth individual, that was leading the chase.”_

 

“Why did you miss them?” He made sure that he didn't sound _too_ annoyed with the young AI. It wasn't him that had earned Vril's ire after all.

 

“ _It never occurred to me that there was an unknown person involved, I am attempting to identify them now.”_ Here Ultron paused, a moment longer than was strictly necessary. _“I'm sorry, dad.”_

 

“It's ok kid, we all make mistakes. What's important is that we learn from our mistakes and rise above them.” That was something that he had endeavoured to teach his sort of son, that it was alright to fail.

 

“ _I'm backtracking the person, backwards from Barnes' apartment, maybe I can find where he came from.”_ Vril sighed at the tone that Ultron used, he was always like this when he thought he screwed up. Ultron would be back to normal soon enough, once he decided that he had made up for his perceived filings.

 

Vril sequestered himself in a small room, where he wouldn't be disturbed, and got to work on the Legion. There was new modals, some based on Ultron's suggestions, that needed their designs worked on. Getting the Sirens to work would be tricky, one miscalculation and the feedback could blow off their heads. Or arms. Or anywhere else the cannons were mounted.

 

* * *

 

 

A short time later and the building was thrown into hell, Barnes had been triggered by the psychiatrist that had been brought in, and the Winter Soldier was tearing through the place. Vril left the assassin to the others, he had a different target.

 

The psychiatrist was a slippery one, nearly getting out of the building before Vril caught up to him. The man turned, just for a moment, and shot him with a handgun that they had been concealing. The bullet itself was of little consequence, the nanotech was already repairing itself, but the man turning around had given Vril a look at his face.

 

Vril charged the man, knowing that he had to get them out of here and away from people. That plan was put to rest by the man bending over backwards, in a way that should have broken his spine, and planting a fist into Vril's stomach.

 

Vril found himself bouncing of the ceiling from the force of the blow, straight into a fist aimed at his head. The blow threw him down the corridor, bouncing along the floor until he hit the wall at the far side. As he climbed back to his feet, already feeling his faux bones reconstruct themselves, he saw that his assailant had vanished.

 

* * *

 

 

“His name is Emil Blonsky. You may remember him as 'the Abomination'. Or 'that guy that fought the Hulk in Harlem'. He's a threat, a real one. And _of course_ he turns up just as Rogers and his band of merry men go AWOL.” This was going to be a nightmare to deal with, Vril just knew it.

 

“Wasn't he on ice somewhere?” Stark asked.

 

“Good question, as far as Ultron and I have been able to tell his location was leaked during the Shield/Hydra data dump. Some idiot dug him up, defrosted him, was probably murdered, and now we have what essentially is a more dangerous Hulk running about.” The fallout from this was going to be spectacular. He could just see the meetings where they tallied up all the destruction of property.

 

“How'd he knock you around, I thought you were made of machines?” This one was Romanoff.

 

“The nanotech that makes up my body does a very good imitation of a human body. Fake skin, fake muscles, fake bones. As far as anyone punching me in the face is concerned my body _is_ human. Now, Blonsky clearly wants Barnes for somethings, maybe if we can figure that out we can work out his next move.”

 

* * *

 

 

Vril could only stare. Ultron had chosen his Avatar, and it was surprising to say the least.

 

He looked like young, a small boy to be exact. A small boy of about ten years. They had blond hair, fair skin, and red eyes. But it was the details that him. The cheekbones, the shape of the eyes, all of it really. He had seen this child before. In his darker moments when he wanted to punish himself he had run the simulations that led to that appearance.

 

If Vril's current appearance and Kara had a son it would look a lot like Ultron's new avatar.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Out of curiosity are you liking what i'm doing with Ultron? I'm a bit nervous about him. I have a direction that I want to take it, but i'm not sure that it's coming across as well as i'd like.


	5. One disaster at a time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which James decides that internment (using the Steve Rogers definition) is awesome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suck at fight scenes. That's why I don't write them. So the battle at Leipzig is breezed past with a few words. Sorry about that.
> 
> This one carries us all the way to Siberia, after that it's just the after credits scene and on to Infinity War.
> 
> Actually I tell a lie. I am writing a small one shot that takes place between this and Infinity War. That will either be posted when it's finished, or I will hold off and put it in the gap between films. Don't know yet.

“ _Wanda Maximoff has escaped her room at the asylum.”_ Because today was just one of those days this was the latest in a string of bad news that Vril had received. First, Blonsky was walking about. Next Barnes vanishes in the commotion. Then Rogers and Wilson had gone MIA. And now this. Could today get any worse?

 

They had found Barnes five minutes after he left, the trackers on him not being disabled. They were waiting on word from local authorities, who in turn were wanting the assassin to move away from populated areas before they attempted to arrest the man. So for now they just kept track of the man, waiting for the situation to change.

 

Rogers and Wilson had vanished for a time, not so coincidentally at the same time Barnes did, before appearing on the surveillance footage that they were using to watch Barnes. Vril was part of a team that was put to work, their goal: bring in Captain America.

 

Finally they got what they were looking for. Rogers and Wilson were moving on, going to Leipzig airport for whatever reason. Within minutes of the team learning this the airport in question was prepared for the fight. Planes were diverted, people were evacuated, the Iron Legion was moved into position. By the time the fight, and it of course it would be a fight, took place there would be no threat to anyone. Anyone that wasn't there for the fight anyway.

 

Now, what to do about Maximoff?

 

* * *

 

 

“ _Knight Teams Alpha and Beta: in position. Paladin Alpha: ready to deploy."_ The Paladins, the heavy assault units. They were designed to punch problems until they stopped being problems. They were slow, they couldn't fly, and they didn't work in teams. While other Legionnaires worked in teams, with twelve Legionnaires to a team, the Paladins were too large to deploy more than one or two at a time. As such Paladin Alpha was the only one available, the other two Paladin units being back at the Compound in America.

 

Vril finished his preparations, this would be the first time he was out in his 'power suit', as it were. He was currently on the Legionnaire Transport, referred to simply as 'the jet'. It was basically a large quinjet, with a few modifications to accommodate the Legionnaires.

 

“Thanks Ultron, are the evacuations completed?” Vril asked as his nanotech finished constructing his cape.

 

“ _Yes, and there are paramedics and police standing by.”_ Ultron reported. If all went well they wouldn't need the paramedics and police. Rogers and his lot would turn themselves in and that would be that. But Vril didn't think Rogers would turn himself in. He was too sure that what he was doing was the right thing, that his cause was just.

 

“Did you find Maximoff?” She had vanished pretty after escaping the asylum, which was just another headache on top of all the other ones.

 

“ _Not yet, I think she was briefly in Egypt, but i'm not sure.”_ Vril looked in a mirror at his now finished outfit, it was perfect. Maximoff could wait, one problem at a time.

 

* * *

 

 

James Barnes was having bad few days. First, some military punk interrupts his marathon, then he's arrested, then the same punk poses as a psychiatrist and uses those damn trigger words, and now he was being dragged to Siberia to fight six Winter Soldiers.

 

Needless to say he was not amused.

 

He was running across an airport towards a transport when two figures dropped from the sky. The two were quickly revealed to be Iron Man and War Machine. James mostly tuned out the banter, and tried to focus on what he would do when this was all dealt with. He really wanted to finish his marathon, maybe start a new one when it was over. Science Fiction maybe. Vril had mentioned Star Wars a few times, and that sounded like it could be fun.

 

His attention was caught when he heard someone call his name from somewhere overhead. Looking up James saw what was clearly Vril, floating in the air looking down at James.

 

His outfit was mostly blue, with red boots and waistline, and a black cape moved gently in the breeze. He was wearing gauntlets, more traditional looking than the ones on Iron Man, made from some kind of red metal, that ended just below his elbow, and a simple circlet of the same red metal as his gauntlets was on his head. One his chest, placed inside what looked like a red diamond, were three shining lights, not unlike the ones that were in Iron Man and War Machine's chest. The lower one was connected to the two above it by diagonal lines. He looked regal, like a prince.

 

“What's going on James?” He asked as he landed on the ground. Vril never looked away from him, waiting patiently for his answer.

 

“There are six Winter Soldiers in Siberia, we need to get there and stop them.” He ignored Steve trying to get him to stop. James was going to do what he should have in the first place: tell Vril what was happening. Steve had stopped him before, saying something about red tape and corrupt governments and their agendas.

 

“Then we'll deal with it, turn yourself in and tell us what you know. You haven't committed any new crimes yet, you can walk away right now.” Before James had a chance to take that offer, because he _really_ wanted to go back to his apartment, Steve interrupted.

 

“He hasn't committed _any_ crimes, locking him up somewhere isn't right. It's internment!” What? It wasn't _internment!_ He was given unlimited access to movies, good food that he didn't have to pay for, nice company, all kinds of amenities, and Vril had talked about bringing over some video games to play, something about James being good at 'Assassin's Creed'. If that was internment in this new century than James never wanted to be released.

 

“Are you going to come with us or not James?” Vril asked, apparently ignoring Steve's little rant. Once again Steve interrupted by throwing his shield. That's about when everything went to hell. The guy Steve called on appeared, the archer. He took a few potshots at the others before James lost sight of him. James was separated from the others at some point and ended up fighting an extremely agile, extremely mouthy, kid. He missed most of the fight by virtue of being stuck to a wall, but eventually he saw Vril walk up to him.

 

“Battle's over.” He said by way of greeting. “And Rogers took off, probably to wherever it is in Siberia that those other Winter Soldiers are. So I ask again: are you turning yourself in?”

 

“I never wanted to fight in the first place, but after so long...” He didn't finish, he knew that Vril would understand.

 

“I know. It's _easy_ to fight. To _keep_ fighting. Knowing how to fight, and making yourself stop, it's a hard thing. Come on, let's get you back to your detail. They miss you.” With that James was cut down.

 

* * *

 

 

“ _Blonsky was located in Siberia. You already have the green light to go.”_ Ultron reported to the remnants of the team. Romanoff had vanished, disappearing off to wherever it was that former spies went when they were hiding from the law, Rhodes was hurt, nothing serious but he'd be out of it for a while, Spider-Man was on his way home, the Wakandan Prince had gone home, and Vision was chasing down a lead on Maximoff. So it was just Stark and Vril in the room to hear the update.

 

“I can deal with Rogers, you take the Legion and take down Blonsky.” Stark said as they walked towards their respective transports.

 

“You sure? There are six possibly active Winter Soldiers in that bunker, not even you can take them all on.” That made Stark stop, considering the point.

 

“I'll take some of the Legion then, but with any luck I won't need them.” With that the two of them set out.

 

* * *

 

 

Bucky was captured, and they were probably going to kill him. But if he could show the world that the Accords were wrong they would be disbanded, and there would be no one to prosecute Bucky. He would take his best pal, go home to the Compound, and they would run the Avengers together, just like the old days. Tony would have to be removed from the team completely of course. After this stunt he didn't want the so called genius on his team.

 

Yeah, all he had to do was prove stop the Winter Soldiers and everything would be made right.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you ask, yes: James is pretty good at Assassin's Creed. Also yes: the interment thing is a deliberate reference to Wanda.
> 
> So here is one of the consequences for this fic. Rogers doesn't get Bucky. And without Bucky he doesn't get a free pass to Wakanda. Also Rhodes can walk. Because i'm nice like that.
> 
> Just in case anyone was wondering, I am not killing Vision in Infinity War. But unlike the stupid "We don't trade non-Wakandan lives" bullcrap, I will have a real reason not to do that.
> 
> Did you like Vril's super suit? It's meant to be a homage to Superman's (baring a few changes), with some in-universe explanations about it coming up later.
> 
> Now, the after credit scenes are coming up soon. I have a lot that needs to be taken care of in preparation for Infinity War so I think i'll do more than the traditional two that Marvel usually does.


	6. Battles on top the world

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blonsky vs Ultron and Vril! Fight!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we see a prime example of me being bad at fight scenes. I think it turned out alright, but i'm not sure.
> 
> Next chapter is the after credits.

“ _Paladin Alpha is prepped and ready. Are we to deploy immediately?”_ Ultron asked as they approached Blonsky. He wasn't far from the bunker that Stark was going to, in sight of it even. He had apparently just left the place, completing whatever goal he had.

 

“Let's at least try diplomacy first. That way we can honestly say that we tried to bring him in peacefully.” Vril replied as a number of Legionnaires left the jet off to surround the bunker, where they would remain until Stark gave the word.

 

The jet, and he really needed a snappier name for it, stopped a short ways from the man, allowing Vril to get out and fly towards the coming fight.

 

“Emile Blonsky, for the crimes you have committed, including but not limited to, treason, destruction of property, and attempted murder, you are hereby placed under arrest. I have been authorised to use force to detain you if need be.” There. They tried to peacefully take him in. Now if it came down to it Vril could beat the man unconscious without dealing with a mountain of paperwork. It would still be a large hill of paperwork, but it was much more manageable.

 

Blonsky's response was to start getting bigger. The transformation was swift, the thick winter gear being shredded as the Abomination appeared. Vril reacted to this by saying a single word.

 

“Paladin.”

 

A moment later the Abomination was nearly run over by the Hulkbuster based Legionnaire.

 

* * *

 

 

“I know that road...”

 

* * *

 

 

Ultron couldn't say that he loved running the Legion. Sure it was fun, and really important, but sometimes he wondered what it would be like to be like his dad, someone that people knew and looked up to. A hero. Maybe that was why he pulled back from the rest of the Legion, just a little, and wore the Paladin like a suit instead of just commanding it like he usually did.

 

It wasn't because he sent a command that the Paladin hit Blonsky, it was because Ultron curled up his hand and punched the Abomination in the face. The Abomination responded by grappling with Ultron, trying to rip his arm off. Ultron answered by deploying flairs, which blinded the large brute. The benefit, or downside depending on how Ultron was feeling at the time, of being a digital entity was that Ultron didn't feel pain, like the stinging of his knuckles when his uppercut connected with the gamma beast's chin.

 

The Abomination charged at Ultron, leaping forward in a flying tackle that caught him in the stomach. Luckily the Paladin's were built for this sort of thing, a fact that was made apparent when a small missile distributed from his chest, striking the Abomination and launching him back a little, just enough for Ultron to rise to his feet and meet the brute's punch with his own.

 

* * *

 

 

“Did you know?”

 

“I didn't know it was him.”

 

“Don't bullshit me Rogers, did you know?”

 

“...yes.”

 

* * *

 

 

Vril had joined the fight against Blonsky, darting to and fro around the brute, attacking whatever openings he could find. Punches, kicks, jabs, Vril busied himself being a distraction for Ultron, forcing the Abomination to either split his attention or be attacked by the whoever he wasn't focusing on.

 

The two of them moved nearly perfectly, communicating with each other much faster than sound would allow. Any time Blonsky tried to attack one the other was in his blind spot, it was only a matter of time before the brute was overwhelmed by the duo.

 

More than once they took hits, but Vril's body had been made strong since the last time Blonsky had hit it, and the Paladin that Ultron was using was built to be punched by things like the Abomination. They toughed it out.

 

* * *

 

 

“You know it wasn't his fault, it was Hydra.”

 

“I don't care. He killed my mum.”

 

* * *

 

 

Ultron watched as a solid punch to the head sent his dad flying, his black cape trailing after him. Ultron took the momentary advantage that was created and wedged himself under the Abomination's shoulder, one arm rapped around Blonsky's midsection. The Paladin couldn't fly, it was simply too heavy, it did however have repulsors on its feet. Ultron used these to push the Abomination back as far as he could.

 

As far back as he could was apparently into the wall of the bunker, the impact causing the entire structure to shake.

 

* * *

 

 

“I can do this all day.”

 

* * *

 

 

Vril ducked under a wide swing, jumping up to jab a fist into Blonsky's throat, causing him to back up with a choking sound. This was followed up by a larger fist driving itself into Blonsky's face, Ultron not wasting the moment.

 

Once again the force of Ultron's punch drove the Abomination into the wall. And once again the beast got back up. A little slower this time, but he did get up.

 

“Is that all you've got?” Blonsky panted as he charged back into battle.

 

* * *

 

 

“That was my fathers shield! You don't deserve it!”

 

* * *

 

 

“Did you know?”

 

It's the second time in a week that Tony asks that question. But he finds that he... he _has to know_. Vril Dox wasn't really a friend, might be someday but not today, but Tony trusted that the AI wouldn't keep something like this from him.

 

“Know what?” Dox asks in return. Not looking up from his tablet. Tony had asked once why he used tablets and phones when he could just do it all in his head. He said that he started doing it to look busy, so that people would stop bothering him when he's on the phone, and just got into the habit.

 

“That Barnes killed my parents.” Even now he cant believe it. He gets a sigh in response.

 

“There are... blind spots, for want of a better term, in my data regarding the Winter Soldier's activities. A few months in Seventy-two, most of Sixty-nine, that sort of thing. I don't have anything between Nineteen-eighty and Two-thousand-and-one regarding the Winter Soldier. I'm sorry.” Dox explained, now looking Tony in the eye.

 

“How?” How doesn't he know? He scoured the entire internet, has read through most of the Shield/Hydra data dump. How does he not know?

 

“The gap that your parents murder falls into appears to be man made. It was... amateurish, but effective. The data was gone, yes. But it was very obvious what had happened. I will endeavour to locate the data, maybe see if Barnes himself knows anything about it.” There was a question tangled in all that. Did he want Barnes to know?

 

“Yeah, ask him.” Maybe it was petty, but he wanted Barnes to know that he had killed a friend. Oh sure, he knew that Barnes had no say in it, but right now he was _hurt_ , and he wanted the person who hurt him to hurt.

 

For a time the two just sat in silence, nothing needing to be said between them. But this eventually proved to be too much for Dox.

 

“Want to watch a movie?”

 

“Depends. What do you want to watch?”

 

“I was thinking Pirates of the Caribbean.”

 

“...I call Jack Sparrow for the debates.”

 

“Of course you do Stark.”

 

“You know, you can call me Tony.”

 

“Only if you call me Vril.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So you know that fic I mentioned last chapter? The one that I was going to post between this and Infinity War? I changed my mind. I figured out how Infinity War (and I have yet to pick a name) ends, and I will use that fic to bridge into a sequel series about some different characters. It will be cool (hopefully).
> 
> Again, next chapter is the after credits stuff, also known as "Blue frantically ties up every loose end he can remember", and then on to Infinity War.


	7. A return, an attack, a breakout, a name, and an offer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After credits party, woo!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we are, seven chapters for this fic. It's been a fun ride. I am really looking forward to not only finishing this series, but continuing the sequel series, which i'll talk about in the end note, along with my thoughts on each of the five scenes that make up this chapter.
> 
> See you down there.

In the space beyond the Earth was a beam of light, shining like a rainbow. This rainbow light had come a long way to come here. Past planets and stars it flew, straight as an arrow. It eventually came down on the planet in the city of New York, into the New York Sanctum to be exact, which was under the protection the sorcerer Doctor Stephen Strange.

 

In the rubble of what used to be a very nice staircase was another Doctor: Bruce Banner, returned to his home-world by the rainbow light of the Bifrost.

 

In another life, another time, Thanos would have destroyed the ship, taking the Space Gem with him, and Bruce would have returned with scant hours before the end of the world.

 

But in this life, in this time, Darkseid did not know of the Space Gem's location, and Bruce had arrived days, a few precious days that may yet make all the difference, ahead of the oncoming invasion.

 

The scientist looked up and saw his audience, hopefully they would know what to do with his message.

 

“Darkseid is coming.”

 

* * *

 

 

Vision moved through the abandoned subway station, he had tracked Wanda Maximoff to this location, had chased her down here in fact. He hoped that he was enough to restrain her, she was volatile enough that if he didn't manage it people could be harmed.

 

He spotted a glow of red off to the side, the only warning before he was pushed several feet through the wall.

 

He phased his way out of the rubble, stalking forward to apprehend Maximoff. She wouldn't catch him off guard again. The red glow caught him again, this time throwing him farther down the platform. He looked up to see Maximoff, smiling wickedly.

 

“I heard you lot chased of Captain America, that he's a renegade now.” She said as she stalked up to him. “I'm sure he'll be more than happy to take me in once I tell him that the Accords made you hurt me. And then, once the _real_ heroes are back, i'll finally take revenge on Stark. Maybe kill that traitorous pest Pietro as well.”

 

“You are delusional.” He told her as he rose to his feet.

 

“No, i'm not! Those stupid _doctors_ kept telling me stuff like that. But then I realised: Stark payed them to get me to stop telling everyone he's a murderer. He was probably planning to kill me soon, because I wouldn't stop telling people that he killed my parents.” She ranted, red mist curling around her fingers.

 

“Come in, we can get you help.” He had to at least try and talk her down.

 

“NO! You're just one of Stark's little _weapons!_ You'll kill me if I let my guard down.” The abandoned subway started shaking, large cracks spreading out from where Maximoff was standing. Vision tried to phase as the roof collapsed, but something stopped him. Maximoff was stopping him somehow, he could see the red mist curling around him. “You'll die in here!”

 

Vision was dug out within minutes, but after a week Maximoff wasn't recovered, dead or otherwise.

 

She got away.

 

* * *

 

 

It happened during transit, a single figure attacked the transport and freed some of the prisoners aboard.

 

When the list came back there were only a few names missing.

 

Clint Barton, Sam Wilson, Scott Lang.

 

* * *

 

 

“What do even call yourself.” Tony asked once they were back in the Compound.

 

“Hmm?” Vril asked, once again engrossed in something on his tablet.

 

“You know, like Iron Man, War Machine, stuff like that. What's yours?” Because Vril was a hero back in his old world, surely he had a name.

 

“I used to simply be called Brainiac Two. But I was thinking of changing it.” He said, now looking at Tony.

 

“And have you made any decisions? Brain? Hal? Or how about-”

 

“Argo. My 'hero name' is Argo.” Vril interrupted.

 

“Like the ship? Why?” Because of every name that Tony expected the ship that Jason and the Argonauts used wasn't one of them.

 

“My girlfriend, Kara, her home-world was called Argo.”

 

“It's a nice name.”

 

* * *

 

 

“ _...Darkseid lives again. And has set his sights upon the Earth I now call home. I will not ask for your help, because after everything i've done, to you especially, I don't deserve it. Instead I offer you something that I know you want. Something we both want. To you, Superman, I offer a chance, a chance to kill Darkseid...”_

 

“ _...and avenge Kara.”_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, let's do the scenes in order first, then move on to the sequel series and other things.
> 
> Scene 1: Bruce hits Earth ahead of schedule. There is one piece of interesting information in that scene. For those that missed it: Darkseid doesn't have the Space Gem. He didn't know Loki had it.
> 
> Scene 2: Wanda did not react well to therapy. I debated for a while making her still loyal to Hydra, but I like this idea more. She's going to try and team up with Rogers as part of her twisted revenge on Tony. Expect at least one assassination attempt in the next fic. 
> 
> Scene 3: Rogues escape. Where they go I don't know, because T'challa ain't letting them crash at his place. And while I never got around to mentioning it, hopefully I can work it in somewhere in the next fic, T'challa did in fact live through the Vienna bombing. Also, I keep getting the sense that I missed someone when I listed the three that were arrested. If I did, can someone please tell me?
> 
> Scene 4: Vril's 'hero name'. This was one that I kinda always knew I was going to use. I asked myself "what's his superhero name?" and it came to me: Argo. For those unfamiliar Argo was a planet shown in Superman: the Animated Series. It was Krypton's sister planet. When Krypton exploded Argo was knocked out of orbit, freezing over. It's the home planet of Kara, Superman's cousin/Vril's dead girlfriend, who survived the devastation by means of cryo-stasis.
> 
> Scene 5: A scene in the future. I plan to do this scene again in the next fic, it's a message that Vril is sending to the Justice League, having found a way to call for aid. Not a lot of DC characters will appear, no more than four or five, but I wanted to say it up front. DC characters will appear in the next fic.
> 
> And yes, in this continuity Darkseid killed Kara. As you can imagine Vril takes the news... poorly. A more in depth explanation will be given to the Avengers in the next fic.
> 
> Now, on to the sequel series. I will give two teasers right now.
> 
> 1) It leaves most of the cast behind and focuses on Ultron following the events of Infinity War.
> 
> 2) One of the other main cast members is a character that I recently found in Marvel comics that I am quickly falling in love with: Molly Hayes.
> 
> Yes I know that the Runaways exists in the MCU. I also don't care. I am only taking the movies, and very select parts of the shows, as canon in these works. That means that the Molly Hayes that I write will have nothing to do with her MCU counterpart. Her MCU counterpart doesn't even exist in this version of reality.


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